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Midgardian (Romulian)
Romulians are ursine aliens native to mountainous planet that humans called Romuliana-4 of Alpha Centauri system. They call themselves Midgardian, which means one of Midgard in their language. They appear on first page of Moondusted and are supporting characters to humans. History When humans found them in 2830. AD by human calendar, they had technology similar to Earthen late 19th century, just without using gunpowder. They instead used spears and swords and giant crossbows against other Midgardian tribes or against jötunn (giants in their language). Thousands of years before human colonization, Midgardiani were divided into small tribes, each of them had their own patron god that was worshipped next to Odin - Allfather god of wisdom and magic and main god of all Midgardiani. Until they met humans and coined the term for them tiny baldies. They were very first alien race that were found by humans, and when they found them, they underestimated them because of their looks and coined terms fluffies and furries. However humans quickly realized that they should not toy with them, as they were very territorial and ready to sacrifice literally everything to protect their homes. Midgardiani and humans after bad encounter raided each other for 5 years straight, until humans found out that it goes to nowhere and that Midgardiani obey their chieftains blindly. So human general with help of Midgardian captured scout decided to talk with them and Midgardiani chieftains made the meeting and decided to give him a challenge - if human general kills jötunn chieftain that raided their mountains at that time and to give them his head, they will make peace with humans. Human general and other soldiers decided to enter into mechanical walkers and after 6 years of fighting with one jötunn tribe, they succeeded in killing their chieftain and decapitated him, then proceeded to give to chieftains his head. Midgardiani were impressed with humans and in 2841. AD humans made treaty with Midgardiani tribes, offering them to work for Federation of Gaia, giving them freedom to worship their gods and to follow their customs as long as they don't conflict with humans. Physiology Midgardiani are divided into 2 subspecies - Dwarves and Vikings. However they share some same traits - plantigrade legs with two large toes, four arms with 2 fingers and one thumb each, large black eyes, pointed ears and ursine face. Vikings are 2,5 meters tall, more muscular than their Dwarven kin and majority of them have blonde thick fur that serves as camouflage and protection against snow storms. While Dwarves are 1,5 meters tall, slightly thin than their Viking buddies and have thinner, brownish-red fur since they are spending more time inside their homes in the mountains than outside. Their females are more slim than males, have 3 pairs of breasts and Midgardiani reproduce much like Earthen mammals. Sometimes female can bring up to 9 babies, which is considered as blessing from Freya to Midgardiani. Dwarves and Vikings can breed between each other, but strangely, babies cannot be hybrids - they are either Dwarves or Vikings. Midgardiani are showing certain degree of psychic powers, but they are not as powerful as Slaveny who are discovered in 2850. AD. Unlike Slaveny whose individuals can skyrocket with training, Midgardiani's psychic power is shown by believing in swarms and pouring their belief into runes that are forged into their weapons and armor. If they believe in something strongly and long enough, it will actually happen. Maybe that's reason why they can bring down their planet's giants and endure for thousands of years, while humans had to use mechanical walkers to actually do some damage to them. Society and culture Since their society is divided into Vikings and Dwarves, they sometimes are arguing over who is better. However, due that they live on planet that has giant animals, jötunn tribes, short refreshing summers and long and harsh winters, their arguings are very short and they very quickly become aware that they are very much needed to each other. Dwarves are experts in engineering, art, finding and smelting ores and weaponsmithing. They also can become assistants to Gothi - priests and chieftains of their tribes. While Vikings are experts in fighting, hunting, runesmithing and leading of their tribes. They also like to help their Dwarven buddies in forging of weapons. Gothi are usually the strongest of Viking subspecies and they are the only ones who has horned helmets worn during religious ceremonies and meetings of chieftains, and armor decorated with gold plates, gemstones and various runes. While ordinary Viking hunter and warrior has Tiwaz rune, very precious one that represents Tyr - god of war and they believe that Tyr would bring them good luck in hunting and fighting with other tribes. Dwarves, since they like to find ores, their homes are built deeper into the mountains, eventually making networks of tunnels and very decorated houses. While Vikings prefer to live outside close to their Dwarven buddies, making large longhouses out of wood with decorated roofs, just enough to shelter themselves after work. Even though their planet is harsh for them and Midgardiani are battle-oriented species, they also like to take a little relaxation. Their favourite drink is mjod, mild alcoholic drink made out of honey that they gather during short summers. Though their diet is mainly meat, they like to gather wild vegetables and fruit to spice their meals and to make cakes that are eaten either in large feasts or during individual fika moments. Summers are celebrated with large bonfires outside of their mountains and such celebrations are called Midsummer. It is the only time, next to Winter Solstice festival when tribes are meeting in peace and jötunn are in slumber. Their society don't discriminate their women and women even have right to punish their husbands if they are caught in cheating, but there are very few female warriors in their lines and even fewer female chieftains, due that Midgardiani rely on the strongest of their species. Humans during their encounter with Midgardiani saw only 2 of female chieftains. Midgardiani mature more rapidly than humans, they become adult at age of 3 and their lifespan expanded from 30 years after Midgardiani got implemented into Federation's lines. Their entrance into adulthood have to be proven either by hunting down seven-horned mammoth (if they are Vikings) or by forging an axe (if they are Dwarves). Humans still have to see how long Midgardiani can live, now that Dwarves are working together with human engineers and scientists, while Vikings are working as shock troopers and guards of very important persons (VIP). Religion All tribes are polytheistic and, as mentioned above, each tribe has patron god that motivates them in various ways. But Odin is worshipped above all of them. He is represented as elder, muscular Viking with one eye, his arm fur is painted with Midgardiani knots. He is represented either as warrior with winged helmet and lavish-decorated armor or as wanderer with grey robes and wooden staff. In either form, he is Allfather god who knows everything, who drinks only fruit wine and mjod and never eats. His food is usually eaten by Geri and Freki, two rhino-sized creatures that look like mix of lions and wolves, while all information from planet gets by two black birds Huginn and Munnin that resemble something between Earthen owls and ravens. His massive fortress is in Asgard world and it is called Valhalla, where Viking warriors after death in battle live, feast and train for final battle that all Midgardiani call Ragnarök - Twilight of gods. Those who never engaged in combat during their lives are going to Hel - underworld that also serves the dead with feasts as much as Valhalla, however there is one special place in Hel called Náströnd where brother-murderers, cheaters and oath-breakers get chewed by Níðhǫggr - large quadripedal serpent-like creature who also chews on roots of World Tree Yggdrasil until Ragnarök when he will feast on corpses of fallen gods and warriors. Other gods: -Baldr (god of peace and light) -Mímir (god of knowledge) -Freya (goddess of fertility) -Kvasir (god of poetry and inspiration, killed by Dwarves) -Heimdall (god of protection, guardian of Bifrost - rainbow bridge that connects Midgard and Asgard) -Loki (shapeshifter god of trickstery, father of Jormungardr, Fenrir, Sleipnir and goddess Hel) -Hel (goddess and queen of the dead, ruler of same-named world in Romulian myth) -Thor (son of Odin, god of thunder and lightning) Trivia -Midgardian Vikings are based on actual ancient Scandinavians. While Dwarves are based on pretty much every dwarf from any fantasy game. -Their alphabet is made of runes and would be Futhark if I made some story with them. -''Fika'' is actually originated in Sweden. It is word for chilling with drink and cake or cookies. While Midsummer festival actually exists in Scandinavian countries. -Romuliana-4 planet is named after famous ancient Roman archaeological location in Serbia named Felix Romuliana (or Gamzigrad). Notes of author During creation of first page of Moondusted, I wanted to show that humans conquered one alien planet before Bassia by adding an alien. But I was really deep in the thought of how to design them and how to make their culture. I chose Norse culture, because I thought that Vikings are badass addition to any story and I found book named Prose Edda that details their pre-Christian religion, their beliefs and deities. Then I thought how Norse aliens would look like, since climate of actual Scandinavian countries is very harsh, their winters are very long and summers are very short. And then, I found an Norwegian music group Wardruna, listened to their music for good 2 hours and I took a look on my childhood bear plushie that I got on my 2nd birthday and I still keep it to this day in my bedroom. An tiny imaginary lightbulb lit up above my head and I finished that first page with Romulian alien added. My plushie is chosen, because Vikings had military elites named berserkers, which is translated to bear-coats in Old Norse. While actual berserkers had bear fur and little armor, Romulian berserkers would appear with war paint on their bodies and faces. Sounds very silly and funny, but inspiration can come from very weird places and unexpectedly. Category:Species in Moondusted universe Category:Lore